I am planning to pick up a 2nd S3 tivo tomorrow, given the current promotion. Does anyone have any confirmation on the pricing that I should expect to see for the 2nd unit? I currently have the free (or included)+$1.50 service already.

Is there a chance I can get $1.50 + $1.50 for the new unit?

Or is it more likely I'm going to be spending about another $10? Even with all the 90 pages here, I'm still a bit in the dark between outlet fees and per-card fees, etc.

I am planning to pick up a 2nd S3 tivo tomorrow, given the current promotion. Does anyone have any confirmation on the pricing that I should expect to see for the 2nd unit? I currently have the free (or included)+$1.50 service already.

Is there a chance I can get $1.50 + $1.50 for the new unit?

Or is it more likely I'm going to be spending about another $10? Even with all the 90 pages here, I'm still a bit in the dark between outlet fees and per-card fees, etc.

You should pay an additional digital outlet fee plus another $1.50 fee for the second CableCARD.

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due to the upcoming cutoff of analog in chicago, we decided to upgrade to digital cable. we got the new basic "digital starter" package with 2 cablecards and the install was set for this past saturday. i stressed that this was for a S3 and that i needed 2 cablecards. of course, the tech shows up without any cablecards and has to call back to the office to have someone else bring them by. the workorder explicitly stated the need for 2 cablecards, so it was simply a matter of the tech not reading the work order and being prepared.

the tech had never done a cablecard install nor seen a S3 before, so i didn't have high hopes. but, once we got the cards, everything went pretty well. the tech popped them both in (against tivo instructions), but they were authorized quickly and after a few hits and 161-4 errors, all of our channels were coming in just fine. repeated guided setup and now we are all set. so success in chicago.

Are you in the city or suburbs? I guess I'm concerned too since I only subscribe to the analog basic package that also gets me the local HD channels. However, I am also getting all of the analog channels 2-99 since I have HSI, even though I don't pay for them, but it sounds like at some point they will be toast and all I'll get is digital 187-192. If so, that would deter me from upgrading to the S3. Also, when this happens, won't my S2 DT boxes be totally worthless?

Are you in the city or suburbs? I guess I'm concerned too since I only subscribe to the analog basic package that also gets me the local HD channels. However, I am also getting all of the analog channels 2-99 since I have HSI, even though I don't pay for them, but it sounds like at some point they will be toast and all I'll get is digital 187-192. If so, that would deter me from upgrading to the S3. Also, when this happens, won't my S2 DT boxes be totally worthless?

i'm in the city. my lineup is Comcast SW 1, 4 & 5 rebuild, if that helps. my understanding is that the local stations will continue to be broadcast after july 1, but all the other extended channels will be cutoff. they have come up with a "digital starter" package which is pretty much the same as their standard analog package. the major change will be in having to have a digital STB for each tv and for your S2 DTs. i'm not sure if that means your DT will only be limited to recording one channel at a time.

Comcast in Chicago is telling me that I need to pay 23.99 / card (So two cards in the S3) for installation but no monthly charges... what do you guys say to that? Why is it different everywhere? Does it change every day?

Okay just got off the phone with comcast again. They are saying that the cablecard is 23.99 installed. But they are saying too that there is a TIVO Specific cable card and that has a 1.50 per month rental fee. Are we being penalized for using Tivo vs their DVR????? I'm in the process now of seeing what the real 'difference' is between these two cards. The CS rep said that it was released about 6 months ago and it makes things 'better' for the TiVo... This whole thing is really angering me! Why can't be standardized all across the board?!

You got a misinformed CSR. There is not TiVo specific CableCARD. TiVo uses the same CableCARD as your TV, just it uses 2 of them instead of one.

Maybe they are saying the new Motorola M-Stream cards don't work with TiVo yet and they need to charge you some different rate for 2 S-Stream cards.

I think they are just confused. Keep calling back until you get a straight answer. Most people are getting the first CableCARD included in their package and leasing the 2nd CableCARD for $1.50 a month. Some people are being charged additional outlet fees in the $5-$7 range for one or more of the cards, but the general consensus is this is not correct billing but it could take a while to find a CSR who both agrees with you and has the ability to fix it.

Alright, haha I asked if she could double check with someone and she said that's fine and when she came back, I got the answer you posed sfhub... 1 cable card is free, then the other is 1.50/month rental.

Another weird thing, she said that I couldn't have an HD Tuner box (For PPV and OnDemand) in the same room. I was thinking I could connect that to another input on my receiver (ie: Video 2), then have the Tivo running as well so that if I wanted to do OnDemand, I could. She said there would be some sort of conflict. Oh well.

Another weird thing, she said that I couldn't have an HD Tuner box (For PPV and OnDemand) in the same room. I was thinking I could connect that to another input on my receiver (ie: Video 2), then have the Tivo running as well so that if I wanted to do OnDemand, I could. She said there would be some sort of conflict. Oh well.

There is no conflict. The CSR is talking gibberish. If you want it, just tell them it's for another TV, et. al. Don't confuse them with concepts of multiple inputs on a single TV, etc.

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What would you say is the 'definition' of your primary TV? Is that the main one in your household? So even if my S3 has 2 cablecards in them, I can still get an HD box for free and just use coax splitters perhaps?

What would you say is the 'definition' of your primary TV? Is that the main one in your household? So even if my S3 has 2 cablecards in them, I can still get an HD box for free and just use coax splitters perhaps?

Quote:

Originally Posted by btwyx

For some value of "free". The box is free, then they charge you an extra digital outlet fee.

With Comcast, it probably depends on your local office. When I had the tech out to install the CCs, I asked him to make a notation on the work order that my DCT-6200 box is installed on same TV as my S3 (primary TV). The next bill showed 2 additional outlet charges. Then I went down to my local office, showed them the FAQ a copy of the work order with the notation, and they are not charging me any additional outlet fees. I did want an HD box (DCT-6200) so I am paying $5/mo more for that but a regular cable box would have been free.

Life with Comcast is such fun, there is never a dull moment. I switched to the Comcast Triple Play Premier Level Service (virtually all channels) two months ago for a package price of $159, with a promise of NO additinal charges for two cable cards or Additional A/O.

All was fine for two months, when all of a sudden in the last bill they charged me for an additional A/O for the month, and back charged me for the prior two months.

I called Comcast and they acknowledged that this was a mistake and they would give me credits and take care of the problem.

They took care of it all right! Suddenly I had full service on one cablecard, and only basic service on the other. I called them again and the CSR said that they would have to send a technician out to check it. I argued and finally said forget it. Half hour later I called back and got a different CSR, and he checked the system and said he could see what the problem was, but wasn't sure how to fix it. He said he would talk to his supervisor and they would figure out how to correct it and call me back.

Two hours for the Comcast tech to get the cards working. The cards appeared to be 'hit' but we got nothing but the clear channels. Another tech told the gentleman in my house to give the tech at the head end the MAC addresses for the cards(??). Then they did something at the head end (they said they were not sure what), and suddenly I have all my channels. My S3 is recording "The Rock" in HD off of Cinemax right now

Only problem, Comcast just moved our HD channels from the 2xx to 4xx, so my guide data shows 'regular programming' for the local HD channels (didn't seem to be a problem with the 'cable' HD channels). Hopefully this is cleared up in a day or so.

With what they were charging me for the SA DVRs, and since I can get two (2) rebates per household, we may change the other SA DVR to an S3

Almost forgot, got the 500GB SATA drive, external enclosure, and eSATA cable sitting here, will have to do the kickstart 63 later

__________________Hey, if I had some place to go I certainly wouldn't be in 'Cleve-Land'.

Ok, my tech just left installing the cable cards on my new S3 and it was a piece of cake. Took about 15 minutes total and we were done. I'm in Antioch, CA.

QUESTION: Do you sill need to pay for the HD package from Comcast in order to view HD content and HD locals?

The reason I ask is that I returned the Comcast HD DVR, and they are no longer charging me for HD, even though I get all the channels. The only new charge is now $1.70/mo for the second cable card per month.

I even went down to the local Comcast office, because I was told over the phone that the cost for HD only was $8/mo and that the HD plan with their HD DVR is $12/mo. After thinking about it, I went down to the office to get the HD DVR back since I thought I would be paying $8/mo anyway for HD and I could then use OnDemand, etc., but when the Comcast guy at the office reviewed my bill, they said I'm no longer paying for HD at all. No $8/mo charge, and no $12/mo charge since I returned the HD DVR...but I'm still getting all HD channels, locals, ESPN HD, etc.

Is this just an oversight by them, or included with the cable card fee?

QUESTION: Do you sill need to pay for the HD package from Comcast in order to view HD content and HD locals?

No, there is really no "HD package". There is an extra charge for renting a HD set top box instead of the standard SD set top box. HD locals are part of limited basic. If you have digital classic, you get all of the non-premium HD channels as well.

I would have to agree. When my CCs were not yet working, the only digital channels coming in were the 'free' channels: the HD locals and the HD backchannels (weatherscan). These channels always showed up on the SA8xxxx diagnostics screens as 'Free-to-air' channels.

__________________Hey, if I had some place to go I certainly wouldn't be in 'Cleve-Land'.

This is probably a stupid question, but I'm going to ask you all to indulge me:

Right now, we've got DirecTV and a DirecTivo, which we're using to watch in SD on our newish HDTV. I'd like to bite the bullet and switch to Comcast and get an S3 so we can watch and record HD.

If I buy the S3, how much of the setup will I be able to do before the Comcast install? We receive signals from several OTA HD channels in our area, but they are pretty unreliable and poor quality (watchable for only a few minutes before we give up on them), since I don't want to invest in an HD antenna given that we plan to eventually receive our HD from cable or FIOS if it ever makes it out our way.

I'm assuming I should not wait until the Comcast tech is here to hook up the S3 and do a guided setup.

In other words, which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Should I set up the S3 first as much as I can, or should I get the Comcast install done and then call them back another day to get them to bring the cablecards, etc.?

Right now, we've got DirecTV and a DirecTivo, which we're using to watch in SD on our newish HDTV. I'd like to bite the bullet and switch to Comcast and get an S3 so we can watch and record HD.

If I buy the S3, how much of the setup will I be able to do before the Comcast install? We receive signals from several OTA HD channels in our area, but they are pretty unreliable and poor quality (watchable for only a few minutes before we give up on them), since I don't want to invest in an HD antenna given that we plan to eventually receive our HD from cable or FIOS if it ever makes it out our way.

I'm assuming I should not wait until the Comcast tech is here to hook up the S3 and do a guided setup.

In other words, which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Should I set up the S3 first as much as I can, or should I get the Comcast install done and then call them back another day to get them to bring the cablecards, etc.?

You can run through the guided setup before Comcast arrives, it really doesn't matter. The process of installing and testing the CableCARDs happens more in a diagnostic mode and how you've configured your S3 doesn't affect the process of pairing and testing channels. Once the CableCARDs are installed, you'll just rerun guided setup, which you can do after the Comcast tech leaves.

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I live in Auburn Hills, MI and have South Oakland County Comcast out of Royal Oak. I just had my 2 cable cards installed, and everything worked fine. The installers had never done an S3 before, but we followed through the instructions and it all worked. Here are my notes:
1. Install the first card.
2. Wait for the card info screen.
3. Call dispatch, give them card info.
4. Insert second card.
5. Wait for card info screen.
6. Give dispatch info on second card.
7. Dispatch activates both cards.
8. Test channels...voila

The only odd thing was that the installer's boss told them "make sure the TV is off when you first insert these"...so I had to explain that their boss must've thought the cards were going into 2 tvs. They were cool, and did as I said.

Comcast Tech came out May 7th and "activated" -- they were running late and it appeared all was OK -- wrong. Nothing was activated. Then I called phone support and finally everything worked fine. The Pairing message said Valid or some message -- anyway the "Contact your Cable Provider" message no longer appeared.

On May 12, TIVO support finally decided I had a bum unit and sent me a replacement Series 3. I moved the Cable Cards - they worked in the sense I could see all my channels, but under the Pairing window, these cards were not activated. I called Comcast as per instructions, and Comcast asked can I see channels. Well yes -- so they said fine it works. I pointed out the Pairing message said they were not activated. Comcast said they don't control messages from Tivo - Call Tivo. Tivo said Call Comcast -- they have not properly activated the cards.

On May 29, one card quit working. I call on the phone and Comcast did something. The card started working -- it has different Host IDs, etc. But still under Pairing there was the message the saying Contact Your Cable Company for Activation.

Yesterday a Cable Card quit again. The phone people said they can't do anything on their end, and a tech is coming out Tuesday.

Is it mandatory or critical that the activation process be such that the Pairing message says the activation has been accomplished? (one Tivo phone tech said yes you must, another said if it works OK -- Comcast takes the position if it works, why are you calling us)